Last Comic Standing: NBC Cancels Reality TV Series Again

Published: March 23, 2011

Back in June of 2003, NBC premiered a new reality competition for stand-up comedians called Last Comic Standing. The series ran for two summer seasons and then NBC seemed to get a little greedy. Rather than wait a year between cycles, they began season three in August 2004, just weeks after the end of season two. That led the series to be cancelled due to poor ratings.

The peacock network brought it back in May of 2006 and that summer run was successful enough to spawn season five in 2007, followed by season six in 2008. The TV show run out of gas once again so NBC cancelled it for the second time.

They brought it back last summer for season seven but it didn’t well, hitting a new season low of a 1.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic with just 3.91 million viewers. NBC has reportedly cancelled Last Comic Standing for a third time.

Though the reality series won’t be back this summer, network history leads us to believe that it’ll likely be back at some point in the future.

You have an excellent show that is one of the best shows on tv, and you want to cancel it. You should that into account the older generation also, it’s something they can watch without all the filthy language in it., a good show that you laugh and relieve the stress, I record and watch it at the same time. Anytime I need a good laugh I go back and rewatch the episodes. You need to take into account the older generation, who watch the ads, have the money to spend on them.

I stillhave it on DVR, just in case it comes back…LOVED THAT SHOW! The best! Ratings-Smatings they put it up against other big shows, and don’t count it if it’s TIVO’ed, DVR’ed. It still gets watched! What a great venue…TRUE COMIC RELIEF.
I loved it, it belongs up there with The Voice, X FACTOR, Idol, etc. Why just singers????
BRING BACK THE LAUGHTER!!!

Wow I had no idea they both died that is so sad. He was a great comic and judge! I saw mike during the Last Comic Standing last winter in Avon and thought it was great! It’s to bad that he died. I love the show! Summer sucked with out some more laughs to it! So quit cancelling it!!! Ugh!